The latest OTA software update to 2.17.651.5, which became available yesterday and will start rolling out to everyone by January 17, finally gets rid of that controversial piece of software for good. So in case you were wondering about that "Security Update" that was mentioned on Sprint's website, it was actually the removal of your phone's ability to spy on you. This could also be why some people are reporting better battery life!

In case you're skeptical, check out the screenshots above – these are before and after screenshots of Carrier IQ Detector running on a stock, unrooted EVO 3D. Given the controversy surrounding Carrier IQ, I'm wondering why Sprint hasn't chosen to advertise its removal. With all the feedback Sprint has gotten, you'd think it would want to shout this from the mountaintops!

To check and see if this update is available for you, just hit Menu > Settings > System updates > HTC software update. And be sure to let us know how this update is working out for you!

About the Author

John Freml is the editor-in-chief at Pocketables. His articles generally focus on all things Google, including Chrome and Android, although his love of new gadgets and technology doesn't stop there. His current arsenal includes the Nexus 6 by Motorola, the 2013 Nexus 7 by ASUS, the Nexus 9 by HTC, the LG G Watch, and the Chromebook Pixel, among others.

Next time there is a new version of the market just download the apk. file from here or xda. It’s usually posted on here and is easy to do from a stock phone. That being said here is to better battery life and the end of ciq!!!

Fox

I downloaded update, but when I try to install it goes to black screen with exclamation point in triangle with lil blue android guy( I am rooted)…anyone else experience this??

Patrick

Since they are no longer using it I guess it doesn’t matter whether it is there or not.

Jaz

Just ran update in florida. Worked great and now no more carrier iq. Hope battery life improvement is noticeable. Looking forward to seeing that it does. One thing i noticed is that the battery saver mode now has a different icon.

Steve Gaudreau

Friggin A!!!!!! I just downloaded it. I hope it’s all you guys say. No ciq, better battery life, and I already had the new version of the market anyways but I’ll report back tonight after some heavy use, I’m stock so this may keep me happy for a while but there sure are some tempting root possibilities out there. I love my e3d!!!

I have it. I tried to do the update but I have TWRP and it won’t allow the update. So I have to wait for someone to put out a root signed version. Thanks.

Lyndiesel

I just updated in Arizona and no more carrier IQ.

nascaraddict

It’s a big plus to get rid of “Carrier IQ”, let’s just hope it didn’t get replaced by some other form of Stealth ID.
I had hboot 1.49 and Sprint screwed us by sneaking in the notorious hboot 1.5! It will be a long time before Sprint get’s respect back!

What we need now is S-Off, not a partial root! At least allow us full root without voiding the warranty as is the current situation with the HTC method.

Dro3d

I think the reason sprint isn’t advertising the removal of carrier iq because they haven’t pulled it from all the devices it was installed on. I read its alot harder to remove from samsung phones because it’s embedded even deeper in the kernel.

March: “hey, look at this program here that seems to be stuffing events into memory” – TrevE
April: We’re unaware of anything like that -Sprint
April: It’s the IQ-Carier process -TrevE
April: We do not use IQ-Carrier -Sprint
April: We do not collect your data IQ-Carrier
etc
etc
etc

nascaraddict

In reply to Paul E. King:

“potentially voiding the warranty”

Which side of that equation will the customer fall the larger percentage of the time, and if “potentially” isn’t clearly defined, it leaves to much room for denial of warranty abuse.

I had to flash the stock recovery before it would update. But I am now CIQ free and it feels great!

K-man

Blue Android with exclamation mark means you have the Clockworkmod recovery partition installed. OTA updates don’t work with custom recoveries. You have to reflash with the Sprint/HTC stock recovery partition and then process the update. I ran into the same thing with the November OTA patch.

dro3d

Minor improvement on battery life but I’ll have to see how it works out after a few charges. All in all I’m happy to say goodbye to ciq.F*&% off and die.

Gamefreak

Just got it here in SA Texas,and oh man i can already tell the difference! When looking in the running services section, my available ram went from around 425mb to 575mb! HTC IQ agent is nowhere to be seen, and the phone is noticeably faster. Man , it really amazes me how much CIQ was really slowing down the phone.

Mr. Sarcasm

Of course that’s exactly what I want!!!

Glenn

It updates the kernel!

Stormprobe

It seems like Sense isn’t as laggy.

miker

Glad to know…thanks to share this.

nascaraddict

Anyone know if this update changed the boot loader in any way?
The reason I ask is I’m hoping for an S-Off solution for hboot 1.50 and if they changed it like previously from 1.4
I had hboot 1.4 and updated last time and poof 1.5 was the hell it left behind!

I remember people saying it was odd then that Sprint was urging strongly to update, and here we are again with another push from Sprint strongly urging the update.

Josh

Same here. phone also feels faster and played 3d games smoother

AndroidDummie

it also added a power saver in the drop down menu

Steve Gaudreau

Ok I got the update. Noticed sense seemed laggy at first. While playing with the phone my screen locked up. I could only access email via short cut. I could not scroll the home screens but I could use the home button to bring up the seven screens but could not access them. So I did a restart. The phone never rebooted just left the menu buttons lit. After 20 minutes still nothing. Pulled the battery and fired it up again and I got a plus symbol in the pull down menu and it said that I had five minutes to claim my prize for from android market give away, they asked for my number to claim my choice of an ipad, an iphone 4S, Mac airbook. OK this is strange since when would android try to push apple? Anyway. The phone is fine now. Just strange.

Zachary Jacob Zblewski

I think Justin forgot the question mark. He was asking if the update is safe for rooted evo’s.

No. Never take an OTA if you’re rooted.

Darth Obama

I can’t get rid of power saver and the pre loaded bookmarks keep returning after I delete them…I’ve had to erase the google/HTC bookmark like 6 times

Stormprobe

Yes. Finally. I wonder if CIQ was blocking that market update somehow.

Stormprobe

I got that spam too. I also finally got the market update, and Sense is faster, not as laggy.

So far, I’m liking it. Some posters mentioned this already, but Sense is much faster and smoother. I also noticed more on board memory has been freed up – perhaps from CIQ? Either way, this update is great… now, I wish they would allow us to remove apps that we don’t use (amazon mp3, flckr, etc..)

Juan

The other part is a radio update and pri, so you’ll see the boost.

Les

Is this OTA update for the Evo Design 4g as well?

blaze

It put it on mines yesterday,and I updated the dl the first day it was released took a few days,anyone notice a better batter save? I just took my battery save app off to see the difference,when you go to battery saver options in your phone and click on ,when charged @ 100% a screen pops up telling you batt save is on and it now will cut web connect off plus ,background until screen is turn on. I’m see how this works w out a batt app,plus a lot people don’t know that having task killers drain batt faster & really makes the situation worse,that’s why Android have there own task killer,u have to manually kill task,but works as well.I am getting 6 hours w the batt save app,im see if the update can beat that or at least stay in that range.if so,I won’t need the app anylonger & will save space ,RAM as well. :) HTC needs to take the aproach as samsung & use bigger batterys and you will get longer use I think that’s how they use the approach on sgs2. Makes sense,bigger better screen,more powerful processors,uses more power. all phones should have stock on this along w better battery saving options as this update we just gotten.

blaze

I also noitced on the e3d the text options have changed.. added: emergency alerts,inside that you have as follows : presidental alerts that’s checked in mines and can’t change,extreme alert,server alert,Amber alert,test emergency alert. If I notice anything else I will post here .and the phone is much faster like its suppose to be. I’m very pleased…oh I for got. When you put your signiture on now ,when replying to a text,it dosent save in drafts like it use too! Thanks htc! :) actually I cant find draft,did they get tie of it??? Huhmmmm

blaze

Correction on the text draft ,it seems its there once you are typing and leave what ever there and just leave out ,it creates a draft and it appears,good job on the fix for this though

Paul

Any good source with a walk through on how to do this?

K-man

Unfortunately there is not (there is a walkthrough for the Sensation, but not the EVO). I had to download a stock Sprint Shooter RUU and extract the recovery_signed.img file. Then I used fastboot flash recovery recovery_signed.img to restore the stock recovery partition. Once stock recovery is in place, the update will proceed normally. I used Voodoo OTA Rootkeeper to protect my su binaries and it worked like a champ. Good luck!

paris parras

is there a way to root this new update if i didn’t have root before?

blaze

Sure ,do a Google,I personally think it’s a too much a long process,my original evo was one click process. I’ve seen many root instructs ,but I haven’t took the time to find any that will support if you have a mac. That’s the only reason why I haven’t done mines and I wanna see how ics runs and looks before i do so.

John

After the update, I noticed my phone boots up much quicker and almost immediately. I also noticed better battery life and faster response.